Cigar box humidifier



.J. w. HERDLITCHKA CIG/4R Box HUMIDIFIER Filed Sept. 19, 1955 Nov. 11, l1958 James W. Herd/ifchka INVENToR.

United States Patent O `CIGAIR BOX HUMIDIFIER James W. Herdlitchlra, Pierce, Nebr.

Application September 19, 1955, Serial No. 535,113

1 Claim. (Cl. 312-31.1)

The present invention relates to a humidifier for cigars contained, for example, in a conventional-type cigar box and it has reference in particular to a transport box cover which may be attached to the permanently hinged box cover after it has been manually swung up and back to an open position.

As is evident from the preceding brief statement of the nature of the invention, it is not new in the art to utilize an auxiliary glass lid or cover and to associate humiditying means therewith. It is therefore an obvious object in the instant matter to provide a simple, practical and economical cigar box attachment which, though similar to prior art adaptations, is structurally distinct and more satisfactory than has yet been offered for use by members of the public.

With a view toward achieving the end results desired and intended, an improved construction is herein revealed which is characterized by a transparent cover which lends itself to use as a temporary cover for the conventional cigar box and which is provided with a sponge containing cup which is lined up with moisture holes, there being an adapter provided which has clips for attachment to the customary or usual cigar box cover and the transparent cover being hingedly attached to said adapter.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional cigar box with the improved attachment in position for use.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view with portions broken away to clarify the construction and cooperation of certain of the details.

Insofar as the invention here is concerned, it seems necessary to mention only the vertical back wall 6, the front wall 7, the end walls 8 and the customary hingedly attached lid or cover 9 of the cigar box 4. As is generally the situation, there is a clearance notch 10 in the upper edge of the front wall 7 into which the edge portion of lid 9 folds when the latter is closed (not shown).

The attachment comprises a transparent auxiliary cover 11 of glass or suitable clear commercial plastics. This cover is comparable with the cover 9 and comes into play when the cover 9 is swung up to the open position shown in the drawings.

The humidifying means, broadly interpreted, is denoted by the numeral 12 and it comprises an upstanding annu lus or collar 13 which is fixed at its lower edge atop the central area 14 of the transparent cover 11. This portion 14 is provided with a multiplicity of holes o-r ports 15. By appropriating and using a suitable detachable disklike member 16, it will be obvious that the several cooperating parts 13, 14 and 16 thus provide a humidifier cup.l The latter, as is evident, serves to contain an insertable and removable sponge 17 which when moistened and placed in the cup functions to bring about the desired humidification results.

The end portions 18 overhang or extend beyond the end walls 8, The forward lip or edge 19 has a ller strip 20 secured to its underneath side and this strip is ush with the edge and ts into the notch 10 and therefore serves as an eifective space-closing element.

The adapter comprises an elongated strip member 21 to which the adjacent edge portion of the auxiliary cover is hingedly connected at longitudinally spaced points by way of hinges 22, as shown in Fig. l. One leaf 24 is fastened to the strip member and the other leaf 26 to the edge portion of the auxiliary cover 11. Substantially U-shaped attaching clips 27 are provided and these have the positions shown at the opposite ends of the strip member; that is to say, one arm 28 of the clip is fastened to the adjacent portion of the strip member while the bend or bight 29 embraces the edge portion of the lid or cover 9, and the remaining arm 30 engages the rear or exterior surface of said cover 9. It remains yet to be mentioned that the lower portion of the strip member is provided with suitably embedded needle-like pins 31 which have their projecting pointed ends anchored in the upper edge portion of the wall 6 of the box. It follows, therefore, that the bar-like strip member 21 is superimposed against the upstanding cover 9 and the clips 27 are engaged over the vertical edge portions of the cover 9, thus providing anchoring means for the hingedly attached auxiliary transparent cover 11. The latter serves not only as an effective closure for the cigars in the cigar box, but it is the base for the moisture circulating means characterized by the cup 13, sponge 17, and closure 16.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly al1 suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A cigar box attachment comprising a transparent cover adapted to serve as a cover for the receptacle portion of a cigar box when the regular lid carried by said box is swung up to an open vertical position, a median portion of said cover having a group of moisture circulating holes, a cup for a moistened sponge attached to the top surface of said cover and completely enclosing said circulation holes, a narrow flat-faced elongated strip member constituting an adapter and having U-shaped attaching clips at its opposite ends which may be connected with the ends of the lid of the cigar box, the lower longitudinal edge portion of said strip abutting a cooperating 1ongitudinal marginal edge of said cover land being ilush at its bottom with the bottom surface of said cover and being provided with depending pointed anchoring pins adapted to be forcibly pressed into the upper edge of the rear wall of the cigar box, and hinges hingedly joining the lower edge portion of said strip to the cooperating longitudinal edge portion of said cover.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 430,643 Hamm June 24, 1890 991,301 Henschel May 2, 1911 1,049,800 Bayuk Jan. 7, 1913 1,148,595 Lewis Aug. 3, 1915 1,668,892 Durham May 8, 1928 1,676,683 Brunhoft July 10, 1928 

